Evolutionary Thought: The Courage of Our Youth for Nonviolence

Nonviolence is not a cloistered virtue to be practiced by the individual only for his or her peace…but it is a rule of conduct for society.—Gandhi

Mass gun shootings of four or more people in the U.S. now happen about every two days. But powerful changes are on the way due to the courage of young people and the growing consciousness concerning gun violence across America. After the 2018 Valentine’s Day shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the youth of this country started a new nonviolent movement to end gun violence. Even though some of the student leaders have received death threats, they are continuing the struggle for social change.

On March 14, the one-month anniversary of the 17 deaths in Parkland, high school students led a massive walkout from schools across the 50 states. The Wall Street Journal estimated at least one million children from over 3,000 schools left classes to stand outside for 17 minutes to memorialize the Florida victims and to send a clear message for meaningful gun safety. Our youth are calling for sensible gun laws like the outlawing of military-style assault rifles, bump stocks, and high-capacity magazines (holding more than 10 to 15 rounds of ammunition).

Just before the walkout, a huge display went up on the lawn of the Capitol building in Washington D.C. as a message to Congress. Human rights organizations helped young people set out 7,000 pairs of children’s shoes representing the 7,000 children killed by guns since the 2012 Sandy Hook mass killing when 20 children, ages six and seven, and six adults were murdered. The 7,000 deaths were the result of homicides by individuals, killings by police, suicides, accidents, and mass shootings. This memorial was an impressive testament to the suffering of our youth and their families within a period of just five years.

On March 24, it is estimated that well over a million people, led by children, peacefully marched to end gun violence. More than 800 cities took part in the March for Our Lives protests in the U.S. as well as in Berlin, Rome, Paris, London, and Sydney. Nearly half a million protested in D.C.

Even though fewer than half of all Americans own guns, there are now about 310 million firearms owned by private individuals. The breakdown includes approximately 114 million handguns, 110 million rifles, 86 million shotguns, and 1.5 million AR 15s (assault rifles). Over the past 50 years, there have been about 250 shootings at schools. More than half of them occurred since the 1999 Columbine mass shooting.

Every year in the U.S. there are about 37,000 deaths by guns. Two-thirds are suicides. Of the 12,000 homicides each year, 1,000 are committed by police. As we know, the resistance to the killing of unarmed people of color by police inspired the Black Lives Matter Movement and brought new consciousness across America about this issue. Now youth of all colors and ethnicities are demanding gun safety because their lives are at risk. If you have a gun or are thinking of purchasing one, then you must check out the laws and make sure that it is safe to use one, you may also want the best gun belt to go with the gun, using equipment properly will make it more safe.

While it seems there is a great debate about what gun safety advocates want and what gun owners want, the facts tell a different story. The majority of Americans of both political parties favor bans on assault weapons, bump stocks, and high capacity ammunition, and they favor a federal database to track all gun sales. Even a majority of gun owners want better background checks and other reforms.

The main opponent to any kind of meaningful gun safety legislation is the National Rifle Association (NRA), and it is important to understand why. The NRA was founded in 1871 as a firearm safety and competency organization. After 100 years, it shifted its focus to political advocacy on behalf of the gun armament manufacturers during the 1970s. This shift coincided with the loss of profits to gun manufacturers as the war in Vietnam was winding down. The militarization of weapons in our society followed. The NRA launched one of the largest lobbying efforts in Congress, which has prevented significant gun reform laws from being enacted. NRA contributions now are in the tens of millions for elections. In the 2016 election $30 million was donated to the current president, and tens of millions of dollars went to key senators and representatives for Congress. It is not difficult to find out how much money your own representative or senator has accepted from the NRA.

There was a time in America when citizens did not believe the courageous African American youth who “sat in” at lunch counters or attended previously all-white schools could actually succeed to integrate institutions in our society. There was a time when it seemed the war in Vietnam would go on forever until brave youth, including students throughout the country and those returning from the war, gathered together to stop war. There are many more historical victories of nonviolence that give hope to our present-day youth leaders for nonviolence. Those in Congress now and those who seek office need to remember that about four million U.S. youth turn 18 every year, and they have awakened to their power.

The yogic principle of ahimsa (nonviolence) has been described many ways. Gandhi wrote that the “credo of nonviolence is an extremely active force. It has no room for cowardice.” Blessings to our valiant youth.

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Swami Shraddhananda (Maureen Dolan, PhD) is a priest in the Kriya yoga tradition. She teaches peace studies courses, yoga, and meditation at DePaul University. She served as Adjunct Interfaith Chaplain for nearly 10 years at the university. Swami Shraddhananda has been active in housing cooperatives as well as other initiatives to build community and consciousness. She may be reached at mdolan1149@aol.com.